Members, Partners & Friends of the Strike Team

Together, We Can Nip Invasive Species in the Bud!

The management of invasive species has been an ongoing struggle for land stewards. In general, control of already widespread invasive species is not possible beyond select, intensive efforts. Most land stewards agree that existing control efforts are a ‘drop in the bucket’ relative to the enormity of the problem. The strategy of Early Detection & Rapid Response is an efficient strategy to eliminate or minimize future adverse impacts at the landscape scale. It carries the hopeful message that we can “prevent the next Japanese barberry” and reduce future ecological degradation.

The Strike Team serves as the organizing entity to focus cooperative efforts between partners. Partners have access to numerous benefits, including training on identification and eradication of invasive species and access to our database. Under the guidance and support of the Strike Team, partners search open space, report detections of emerging invasive species and initiate eradication efforts on the land they are responsible for managing. The Strike Team pledges to assist in these efforts, either through direct physical support or through shared expertise or in-kind resources.

We encourage any public or private agency, organization, business, or individual to contact us about joining the Strike Team partnership. We welcome new members and volunteers.

The Task Force works throughout Cape May on both public and private land. Best management practices are implemented for each project, with careful monitoring of plant communities and plant diversity conducted pre and post control treatments. Restoring native plants, wildlife habitat, and enhancing biodiversity in Cape May is the driver behind its invasive control projects.

Since the Task Force began in October 2010, it has developed strong working relationships with partners and continues to build new partnerships. In early 2011, the Task Force began a 5.5 acre reforestation restoration project at Cape May Point State Park where the coastal maritime forest has been overtaken by a number of invasive vines. The site has been carefully cleared of vines while leaving the mature trees to provide a seed source for understory regeneration once invasive plant control treatments have been applied for 2 to 3 years. Click here to see a photo essay that documents the project -- you'll no doubt be inspired by it! The Task Force has also identified kudzu--an emerging threat in New Jersey--on several privately owned properties in Cape May, and is currently working with the landowners to eradicate this invasive vine.

Our Strike Team is an active partner of the Task Force. We recently led an Invasive Plant Training Workshop for Task Force members and we look forward to pursuing more programs and projects in this beautiful part of New Jersey!